The following discussion of the background to the invention is intended to facilitate an understanding of the present invention. However, it should be appreciated that the discussion is not an acknowledgment or admission that any of the material referred to was published, known or part of the common general knowledge in any jurisdiction as at the priority date of the application.
A common recreational water craft allowing users to sit on top of the hull of the watercraft above the waterline, as opposed to inside the hull, is referred to as a sit on top watercraft. Sit on top watercraft employ scupper holes to facilitate drainage of any water entering the cockpit.
Additionally, sit on top watercraft are typically wider and larger than other watercraft and therefore harder to fit on carts meant for narrower canoes and kayaks. This has led to the development of specialised carts for the transportation of sit on top watercraft.
The typical version of such specialised carts employ two vertical shafts attached to a horizontal axle with a wheel at either end. The vertical shafts are inserted in the scupper holes from below and thus keep the boat in place in relation to the horizontal axle and the wheels.
The first problem with such specialised carts is that their vertical shafts need to be inserted in scupper holes from under the watercraft. This makes the process of lifting the watercraft, locating the scupper holes and inserting the vertical shafts of the cart into them while trying to hold the shafts upright and the wheels stationary, extremely awkward and difficult for a single person.
The second problem with such specialised carts is that diameters of scupper holes differ greatly between watercraft of different designs and different manufacturers. This makes it hard for the vertical shafts to snugly fit different types of boats. The use of very thin vertical metal shafts by carts of the prior art leads to the third problem of play and relative movement between the shaft and the scupper hole. To elaborate, when the boat is wheeled over rough ground the repeated impact of the metal shaft on the scupper walls caused by their relative movement can often result in structural damage to scupper walls.
An additional problem faced in respect of carts for sit on top watercraft is that the distance between a pair of scupper holes on either side of the hull again differs greatly between watercraft of different designs and different manufacturers. Some carts of the prior art address this problem by way of modifying the vertical shafts to have a cantilevered profile, the cantilevered vertical section of such shafts are able to pivot about the vertical axis and thereby change the relative distance between the two shaft ends. The problem with this approach is that the vertical shafts, when not at the widest or narrowest setting, are not vertically aligned over the axle between the two wheels. This introduces a bending point in the system. This necessitates use of stronger and heavier material members and joints, which in turn increase the weight of the cart. Additionally, the vertical shafts tend to press asymmetrically against some parts of the wall of the scupper holes aggravating the aforementioned problem of structural damage to the scupper hole walls.
It is therefore the object of the current invention to provide a cart for water craft employing scupper holes, regardless of the distance between, or size of, such scupper holes.